Preview: Spanish Zombie Movie The Dark Hour

A Spanish zombie movie. Oh my, that’s a new one. I’ve seen English zombie movies, I’ve seen Japanese zombie movies; heck, I’ve even seen Irish zombie movies. But I’ve never seen a Spanish zombie movie before. (Or at least, I don’t recall one.) That’s about to change with writer/director Elio Quiroga’s “The Dark Hour” (La Hora frÃ­a), which is described by Variety as “a lyrical sci-fi zombie pic”. Although finished in 2006, “The Dark Hour” will be making its Spanish bow in September, but has already sold overseas to Brazil and Portugal, Russia, the Philippines and Turkey. No word yet on an American sell.

A group of eight people live isolated in crumbling installations. They cannot abandon the complex and they live in a constant state of vigilance. The food supplies are running out and they urgently need medicines and ammunitions, but in order to find them they must abandon the secure area. What lurks outside the small area they inhabit, however, is so menacing that they dare not even speak of it.

Sounds like an apocalyptic, end of the world type of movie. Then again, maybe it’s all in their head. Maybe it’s a military experiment. Maybe it’s Martians! Whatever the threat turns out to be, it definitely looks like a major mindf*ck movie ala Vincenzo Natali’s “Cube”, right down to the modest budget.

“The Dark Hour” is written and directed by Elio Quiroga and stars people you’ve never heard of (at least if you live outside of Spain).